Preparing the lunch for the office or school is one of the prominent work that we have on daily basis. Oh! It is a dilemma to decide the dish daily. This “X” dish does not taste good in the box, “Y” dish is liked by one child, while the other detests, are some of the cribbings we often hear. Somehow, we have learnt to balance things. Here are 15 lunch box ideas that you can use on a daily basis. I usually packed chapati and sabzi. Rice had to be some kind of prepared dish, not the usual dal or rasam. Do take a peep below.
Providing a good food to the family is our duty. They trust and eat whatever we provide. Make the right choices of what you give commonly to your children. Inculcate the habit to eat fruits on a daily basis, children need to be told many times.
15 lunch box ideas
Here are a few recipes that you can pack for the lunch box.
Sesame rice : Grind the paste and keep it in the refrigerator. Saute it and then mix along with prepared rice. It can be done in thirty minutes.
Panipuri is a popular street food that needs no introduction. The fun of eating panipuri is not limited to youngsters alone. The street vendor has a roaring business by selling this daily.
Panipuri, the small puffed puris are filled with a filling and eaten with a spicy, sweet and tangy water in it. Simple pleasures of life, isn’t it? It is called as Panipuri in north india, Golgappa in Uttarpradesh, Puchka in Bengal and Gujarat, and as Gupchup in Jharkhad and Chattisgarh.
Different fillings can be used to fill the puri. The water is spicy, tangy and tasty. It has the tanginess of tamarind, along with chat masala, mint and a few other ingredients.
panipuri
Recently, I found puris on Urban Platter in Amazon and thought of trying them. Thus, I ordered a pack to see how it was. The puris are like fryums, you need to fry them and serve, isn’t that awesome? Once I put them in the oil, it puffed up, and I was wondering, such small ones, soon it enlarged and was perforated with patches. It was bigger than my usual ones! Taste wise, yes, did like it.
panipuri onlinefrying of puri
This is a semi- made version as the puris are outsourced or the ready ones are brought and fried at home. One can make the puris ahead at home but it needs more time. Earlier, I used to get from my local vendor. He makes a pack of these and keeps them ready whenever I need.
For the filling, I love using moong. I soaked the moong overnight, I replaced the water and boiled it with a little salt. One can also use a mixture of potatoes and chickpeas along with spices in it.
I am too scared to eat panipuri outside as we are never sure of the kind of water used. A little precaution go a long way. It’s been many years since I have been regularly making at home whenever the children demand.
Recipe for Pani Puri
Ingredients:
30 puris
For the stuffing:
1 cup moong
salt to taste
2 onion finely chopped
For the water:
1/2 bunch coriander leaves
a few mint leaves (20 -30 leaves)
1 green chilly
1 inch ginger
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon chaat masala
salt to taste
2 tablespoon tamarind pulp
1 tablespoon jaggery
1 litre water
Method:
To make the stuffing:
Soak the moong over night. The next day, drain the water, wash in running, put some water and boil with a little salt. As they are soaked, they cook fast.
Once they cool down, remove the water and put the cooked moong in a bowl.
Add onions to it. Mix well and keep it aside.
To make the pani :
Wash coriander and mint leaves.
Grind them along with tamarind pulp, green chilly, ginger, salt to a fine paste.
Take water in a bowl. Add the ground paste, jaggery, cumin powder and chaat masala to it.
Keep it aside for an hour. Allow the flavours to imbibe.
pani
To serve:
Place six puris in a plate ( any number as you wish!), put some filling in a small bowl and the pani in another bowl.
How to eat it:
The puri is lightly broken at the top. A spoonful of filling is put into it. Some pani is put into it and immediately put into the mouth.
Different kind of fillings :
Potato filling – Use boiled potato mixed with chilli powder, salt, onion and coriander leaves to stuff in it.
Green peas – Green peas can be boiled with a little salt and used as a filling along with boiled moong.
Corn filling – Make a filling of boiled corn along with onion, salt and chat masala.
Chana filling : Boiled chana mixed with spices can be used as a filling. Mash them a little bit and fill for that extra goodness and taste.
Pani puri
5 from 8 votes
Pani puri is a popular chaat and street food that is cherished by all. Small puris stuffed with a filling are eaten by dunking it with a spicy, tangy and tasty water.
Kurkuri Bhindi Fry or crispy bhindi fry is a tasty accompaniment with any meal. Serve it with any meal as an accompaniment, it is loved and relished by all.
It is assured that I need okra at least once in a week, usually sabzi but sometimes I do fry. Here is another kind of fry that is tasty and crispy.
Kurkuri Bhindi Crispy Bhindi Fry
Ingredients:
1/2 kilogram bhindi
salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon chat masala
2 teaspoon chilly powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
2 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
2 tablespoon gram flour
oil for frying
Method:
Wash the bhindi and pat dry.
Cut it vertically into four strips. If the bhindi are large in size, cut them into two.
Add salt, asafoetida, turmeric powder, chilly powder, amachur powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, chopped coriander and mix it.
Sprinkle gram flour and mix it. Keep the mixture to marinate for twenty minutes.
Heat oil in a pan. Put a few pieces of the marinated mixture into oil.
Deep fry on medium heat for sometime.
Turn them with a ladle. Once they are crisp and brown, remove them on a tissue paper.
Repeat for the rest of the mixture.
Serve with rice as an accompaniment.
kurkuri bhindibhindi piecesmaking of kurkuri bhindi in steps
Evergreendishesdev
Kurkure Bhindi
Kurkure bhindi is a okra deep fried by coating it with a mixture of spices. It makes a good accompaniment with any meal.
Wash the bhindi and pat dry. Cut them vertically into thin strips. If the bhindi are big in size, divide them into two.
Add salt, turmeric powder, asafoetida, chilly powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, pepper powder, chat masala and coriander leaves to it. Mix it well.
Sprinkle gram flour to it and mix. Allow the mixture to marinate for 15-20 minutes
Heat oil in a frying pan. Add a few pieces of the marinated pieces.
Deep fry on medium heat. Turn it to the other side with a ladle. It should be crisp and light brown in colour.
Remove it on a tissue paper. Repeat for the rest of the mixture.
Take oil in a bowl, add all the spice powders into it and mix it.
Put the cut okra slices into it, toss it well and keep it aside for sometime.
Pre-heat the air fryer.
Put the parchment butter and place the okra slices on it. Cook at 300 degree Fahrenheit for five minutes initially. Toss in between. Again put it for another five minutes.
Now, check and cook for two more minutes, Crispy okra is ready to use.
About the event :
This is an old post which I have edited now. Earlier, I had written only the stove top method, now I have included the air fryer recipe in it. Sending it to Foodies_Redoing Old Post 105, a fortnightly event. Through this group, I have redone many of posts with better pictures now.
Pin it for later :
kurkuri bhindi
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Mixed Vegetable salad is a tasty and refreshing salad. It is ideal as a snack or as an accompaniment with any meal.
Today, salads form an important part of our diet more so than ever. We are more mindful of what we eat, though cannot cut down at all times. The alarming rise of death rates, obesity and risk to life style diseases are some of the factors that have made us to change for good.
Salads are highly nutritious and less in calories. They are filling and tasty. Here is one such salad that I love to binge on.
mixed vegetable salad
Mixed Vegetable salad
Ingredients:
4 cucumber
1 onion
1 tomato
1 capsicum
1 cup sweet corn kernels
For the seasoning:
2 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon pepper powder
1 teaspoon lemon juice
salt to taste
Method:
Wash all the vegetables (except the onions).
Cut the cucumber into small pieces.
Dice the tomato and capsicum into small cubes.
Cut the onion finely.
Put the corn kernels in hot water for sometime, drain the water and put in a colander after sometime.
Mix all the veggies in a bowl.
Mix the pepper powder and salt in lemon juice. Add olive oil to it. Mix and pour it over the salad.
Chill and serve.
Take a tip:
You can add carrots, I have not added here.
Add walnuts and raisins if you are giving it to children.
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Mocha Banana Cake sounds good isn’t it? This is such a good one, I am just loving it, it’s made of wheat flour, sugarless, butterless and eggless ! This recipe is part of brand partnership with PlaceofOrigin.in and Plattershare for the Belly Nirvana Campaign.
Children should always be given healthy snacks. It provides nutrition and good taste. Mocha Powder is one such kind. It is good to serve as a frothy milkshake. You can even serve it in warm milk. Do check out the product in the online store.
Let’s get baking the cake. I just love these guilt free indulgences.
mocha banana cakemocha banana cake
Ingredients: (measurement used: 1 cup = 200grams)
1 cup wheat flour
2 teaspoon mocha powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup honey
2 ripe bananas
1/4 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon ghee
1/2 teaspoon wheat flour
8 almond broken into pieces
Method:
Sieve the flour, baking soda and mocha powder together.
Mash the bananas, beat it well.
Add milk, honey and oil to it. Mix it.
Now, add the wheat flour and gently mix it.
Add the dry fruits to it.
Pre-heat the microwave.
Grease the tray with a little ghee and flour over it.
Pour the batter over the greased plate.
Microwave it for seven to eight minutes. The inserted toothpick should come out clean.
Allow to cool on the rack.
mocha banana cake
Evergreendishesdev
Mocha Banana Cake
Mocha Banana Cake is a tasty and healthy cake. It has no refined flour, sugar and butter. Addition of mocha chocolate powder gives a nice flavour to it.
Sieve wheat flour, baking soda and mocha powder together.
Mash the bananas. Add honey, oil and milk to it. Beat it well.
Add the flour to it. Slowly mix the batter. Add chopped almonds to it.
Pre-heat the microwave. Grease the baking tray with clarified butter, dust with flour. Pour the batter over it and bake it for eight minutes in two intervals.
The inserted toothpick should come out clean. Once it is done, cool it on the rack.
Notes
The timings may change for different microwave oven.
You can use an OTG.
mocha banana cake
This is the second post in brand association with Place of Origin Indian Taste Delivered for the Belly Nirvana Campaign by Plattershare. The earlier post was Mocha Coffee Cookies.
Cocosutra mocha powder is a mix of coffee and chocolate together. It is a rich blend of dark cacao and fine coffee powder, a taste so unique and sinful. It comes in a pack of two, each weighing 100 grams. This product is one of the many products that they have for global Indians. Do take a look at their online store
Plattershare is a popular social media platform for food lovers, food professionals and food businesses. It is a wonderful platform to showcase our culinary skills and participate in contests. It is run by Kirti Yadav and Ankush Dhiman.
Disclaimer: This post is part of brand collaboration. I have received the product to create and write recipe and review. All views expressed are my own and not influenced by anybody.
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Mocha Coffee Cookies are exquisite and melt in the mouth cookies. Serve it as a snack or with milk in the mornings. Recently, I was selected for the Belly Nirvana Campaign by Plattershare in association with Place of Origin Indian Tastes Delivered. I received a Leo Breakfast Blend Coffee Powder and Mocha Chocolate drink powder.
Leo Breakfast Blend Coffee Powder is in 60: 40 ratio, i.e it is 60% coffee powder and 40% chicory. The aroma is exhilarating and the strength of the coffee is strong. It is made with the finest beans of coffee. The chicory unlocks the flavour giving it a rich flavour. We liked the coffee and I highly recommend it.
The Mocha chocolate powder can be used for various purposes. It is ideal to use it in milk. I made a milk shake for my hubby and daughter and they did like it. It was tasty and flavoursome. Mocha Chocolate powder can be used in baking cakes and cookies. The Mocha powder is unique and has freshness in its taste. I shall definitely order the same brand again.
Mocha flavour blends well with coffee and makes a good and unique recipe. The coffee and chocolate medley is simply aweome and I am loving it. I will be making a few more in the next few days.
I made coffee cookies using these two products and it was awesome. The cookies were soft and melt in the mouth.
mocha coffee cookies
Mocha Coffee Cookies Recipe
Ingredients: (Measurement used: 1 cup =200 grams)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup almond flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon leo breakfast blend coffee powder
2 teaspoon mocha chocolate powder
1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
a little ghee for greasing
Method:
Sieve all purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder and baking soda together .
The butter should be at room temperature. Mix butter and sugar till it is soft.
Mix coffee powder and mocha powder to it.
Now, mix the flour slowly into the mocha coffee mix.
Do not knead it hard.
Keep it aside for ten minutes.
Grease the plate with a little ghee.
Take a small lemon sized ball, flatten it and place it on the tray. Keep them at an inch apart.
Pre- heat the oven at 200 degree celsius.
Bake it for ten minutes at 200 degree celsius.
Let them cool on rack.
Repeat for the rest of the dough.
Store in an airtight container.
mocha coffee cookies
Evergreendishesdev
Mocha Coffee Cookies
Mocha Coffee Cookies made with finest ingredients does taste good. It is tasty and melt in the mouth.
1cup all purpose flour1 cup =200 ml used in recipe
1/4cupalmond flour
1/4teaspoonbaking soda
1/8teaspoon baking powder
1/2cupbrown sugar
1/3cupbutter
2teaspoonleo coffee powder
2teaspoonmocha hot chocolate powder
Method
The butter should be at room temperature while using.
Sieve the flour along with baking soda and baking powder.
Mix butter and brown sugar together. Beat it well. Add mocha hot chocolate powder and coffee powder to it. Mix it .
Now, mix the flour into the mocha coffee mixture. Do not knead it hard. Keep it aside for ten minutes.
Pre-heat oven at 200 degree centigrade.
Grease a tray. Take small lemon sized balls, flatten and arrange on the tray at a distance.
Bake for ten to twelve at 200 degree centigrade.
Once it done, let cool on the rack.
Keep it in an airtight container.
mocha coffee cookies
Plattershare is a popular social media for food lovers, food professionals and food businesses. It is good place for food enthusiasts to connect.
Places of Origin is a online portal to get sweets and snacks of various parts of India. They have a wide range of sweets as burfi, ladoo, snacks, biscuits, dry powders pickles and more. The quality of the products is good and it is reasonable. No shipping cost is charged. The Mocha Chocolate Powder is a must try.
The Coffee powder is a treat for the coffee lovers. It has a nice aroma and strong taste of coffee. It has a bittersweet richness that is given by the blend of coffee and chicory. Do savour these by checking the links.
Disclaimer: This post is in brand collaboration with Places of Origin and Plattershare. I have received the products to recreate my own recipe and post it here and on plattershare. All views written here are my own and not supported by anyone else. No monetary benefits are given for the same.
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Apple milkshake has been the recent addition to my list. It is one of the tastiest and healthiest drinks that one can slurp in the mornings. I don’t know why I had not tried earlier.
Apples are available all round the year and one can easily manage with it. It is thick, foamy and filling. Do not peel the skin of apples, just cut it into small pieces and pulse it, it blends well with the pulp and milk.
Wash and cut the apple into small pieces. Pulse it, add milk and honey to it. Again pulse it for thirty seconds. Pour it in a glass and serve chilled. Otherwise, add ice cubes to it.
Take a tip:
Add sugar if serving for children.
Evergreendishesdev
Apple Milkshake
Apple milkshake is a tasty and healthy drink to kickstart the day.
Those reading me regularly know that I am ardent fan of milkshakes. What are the other variety of milkshakes that you prepare? Do let me know in the comment section below
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Chaats are an all time favourite at home. Kids are happy with it and so am I ! Bhel puri is much preferred but sometimes we do make Sev Puri and Pani puri also.
When it comes to cooking, I need some quick and easy methods. Elaborate and long standing hours are not my cup of tea. I prefer preparing another dish in the mean time. Thus, the puris and sev are outsourced here, all other chutneys and toppings are made at home. Thus, this is an easy reference on How to make Sev Puri
The city’s chaats shop makes two kinds of puris, puffed ones and flattened ones. The flattened ones are called as papdi usually.
Grind all ingredients together. Remove it in a bowl.
Dates chutney
Ingredients:
10 seedless dates
1 lemon ball tamarind
1 tablespoon jaggery
1/4 teaspoon cumin
salt to taste
water
Method;
Wash the tamarind. Boil the dates, tamarind, cumin and jaggery with some water for ten minutes. Let cool. Then grind them together with salt. Remove and store in an airtight container.
Let’s get to making of Sev Puri now
Boil the potato in the pressure cooker.
Chop the onion finely.
Prepare the green chutney by grinding the ingredients together.
Dates chutney can be prepared and stored in the refrigerator. Add a little water if the consistency is thick.
Once the pressure releases, peel the skin of potato and mash it. Add onions (keep aside some for topping), salt and chilly powder. Mix it.
Place the puris in a plate.
Put a little mixture on each of them.
Then, put a little green chutney.
Put a little dates chutney over each of them.
Now, add sev over it.
Finally, top with a little onion pieces.
ingredients for sev puri
green chutney, dates chutney, potato mixture, sev and puri. Only the sliced onions for topping is missing in the picture.
puris arranged in a plate
Arrange the puris in a plate.
potato mixture is put
Take a small ball of the mixture and spread it on each one of them.
green chutney is put
Top with a little green chutney (a quarter spoon) over each one of them.
dates chutney is put
Then put a little dates chutney over each puri arranged in the plate.
top with sev
Top each puri with fine sev and onions.
sev puri is ready
Sev Puri is ready to serve!
Take a tip: You can sprinkle little chaat masala and cumin powder before putting sev.
Evergreendishesdev
Sev Puri
Sev Puri is a popular chaat that is relished by most indivduals.
Boil the potato in pressure cooker. Once the pressure is released, peel the skin and mash the potato. Mix salt, chilly powder and onion pieces to it.
Grind all ingredients for the green chutney together.
Arrange the puris in a plate.
Take a little of the potato mixture and spread it over each puri. Top them with green chutney and dates chutney. Finally, put sev and chopped onions over it.
Notes
Use flat puris to make sev puri.
Dates chutney can be made and stored in the refrigerator.
Adjust the consistency of the chutney. It should be moderate.
Diwali is one of the important festivals that we celebrate. It is a festival which everyone looks forward to, four days of relaxation, festive atmosphere, array of sweets and savoury, pooja and celebrations with near and dear ones and not to miss the bursting of crackers! This year Diwali starts on October 17.
I thought of making a mega collection of sweets and savoury for Diwali. I approached my blogger friends on facebook and all were enthusiastic about it. Thankyou dear friends for your wonderful posts. This post would not have happened without your contribution. The collection consists of sweets for festive cooking, burfis and pedas to store in the box, cakes for the diwali party along with a few savoury dishes. I do know what to cook for the festive season.
Seven cup burfi is a popular sweet or fudge made in South India. It is called as a seven cup sweet as the measure of all ingredients together is seven cups.It is usually prepared during Diwali.
Grate the coconut, use the finely grated one for this.
Take a thick bottom pan and mix all the ingredients except salt.
Heat it on a low flame, keep stirring, as it will easily get burnt.
Grease a plate with a little ghee.
Let cook for fifteen to twenty minutes. It becomes a thick porous mass with bubbles all over.
Sprinkle a little salt and mix well.
Spread it on the greased plate.
Make incisions after some time.
Do not remove them immediately.
Store in a tight jar.
Take a tip:
The actual recipe calls for three cups of sugar and one cup of ghee, but I have decreased the sugar and increased with ghee.
Use good quality besan to get good results.
Evergreendishesdev
Seven Cup Burfi
Seven Cup Burfi is a sweet preparation made of fresh coconut and gram flour along with a few other ingredients. Make it for the forthcoming festival and enhance the joy.
